Beyond the Uniform

Black-collared starched shirt, radio draped over the shoulder, 9mm holstered at the hip, silver shield, hovering around 6 feet tall, my 4-year-old son stares up at New London Police Officer Josh Wilson in the grocery aisle of Festival Foods. I can see Carter is nervous, so I remind him "It's Coach Josh - Emerson's t-ball coach." We chat for a minute and continue on with our shopping. As we get into the car, Carter mentions he is scared of police officers. I asked him if he was scared of Coach Josh, and he responded "No." I explained to him, the person he knows as "Coach" is the same person in the police uniform and there is no reason to fear the police. "It's his job to keep us safe." Today's article is about the person beyond the uniform. This article is about Assistant Chief Josh Wilson, aka Coach, Dad, Husband, Friend, and Mentor.

Being a police officer, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult professions. It is a thankless career, and many perceptions tend to be negative. They work long hours, holidays, nights, and weekends. However, if you look closely, many officers are kind, caring, and generously give back to their community.

Officer Josh Wilson is a great example of a community servant. He coaches many kid's sports including soccer, baseball, and basketball. Coaching these sports requires many volunteer hours every week. He coaches three baseball teams each requiring two nights per week per team, basketball is two, sometimes three nights a week depending on tournament schedules, and soccer two times per week. One of the baseball teams is the Miracle League in Appleton.

He earns the respect of all the kids he coaches by being patient and kind. When the weather gets hot he packs water balloons in a cooler for practice. Josh organizes the Special Olympics Torch Run and participates in this event. You can also find Josh volunteering at the National Night Out, Shop with a Cop, or sitting as a board member of New London Day Care.

Officer Wilson also conducts school visits to talk about Internet Crimes Against Children. This is a nationwide task force developed to respond to child exploitation of sexual and other internet crimes. Now more than ever it is important kids are aware of these crimes. Around 90% of 9 and 10-year-olds have smartphones. Josh gives presentations to teen and preteen students to discuss the issues around internet crimes. One program Josh has worked tirelessly on is the Public Safety Cadet program through the police department.

This program outlines the training that an officer would go through to become a professional. The content is student-led, so they choose the topics they want to learn about, and certified instructors lead them through the training. Students learn not only tactical training but leadership, communication, and community involvement. The New London program averages 10 high school students per year. New kids entering the program pay a one-time fee of $50, and sponsors donate the remainder. The Iola Car Show is a generous supporter of the New London Public Safety Cadet Program and funds this program. The students in this program volunteer an average of 100 hours per year. After the students satisfactorily complete this 4 year program they qualify for a $250 scholarship to any college program of their choice. The New London Police Department as well as other local agencies have gained many successful officers as a result of their attending this program. The knowledge and skills learned through this program can be a benefit to any profession. If you are interested in learning more about this program please email cadets@newlondonwi.org.

 

Officer Josh Wilson's journey started in a similar law enforcement explorer program at 18 years old through the National Guard. He continued this program until he was 21, and continued to Fox Valley Tech. Many of the skills he learned in this program helped guide him to his current career. In November 2001, he started with the New London Police Department. By 2003, Officer Wilson had taken over the law enforcement explorer program through the department and revamped it into the cadet program it is today. 

So, next time you see an on-duty officer, remember there is a mom, dad, friend, coach, daughter, son, husband, or wife wearing that uniform. Buy them a cup of coffee and thank them for what they do for our communities. I am thankful to meet the people beyond the uniforms in my community. Thank you, Officer Josh Wilson, aka Coach Josh, for all you do for New London!